Five standouts from UCLA's spring football

The drama played out on projector screen, on a rooftop terrace at L.A. Live on Monday. Brett Hundley had goosebumps. Eldridge Massington watched in awe as the story of his return from a knee injury played out cinematically before his eyes. Myles Jack, more ready than most his age to shoulder massive amounts of hype, beamed like the star he's already certain to become.

The trio of UCLA players surely understood a bit more in those moments what many of us already knew. UCLA will open in the fall with more hype and expectations than its had in a decade, and it'll do so with a Pac-12 Network crew following along.

"The Drive" will only bring more eyes UCLA's way when it begins in August, but with the spring game now in the rear view, the next three months should offer plenty of time wait and speculate, agonize and hypothesize.

The Register will be here to do all of those things (and maybe a few other things, too). But before looking forward, we must look back.

For the next four days, we'll dive deep into the past 15 practices. Today, we start with UCLA's standout players from the spring.

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MONDAY: Spring rewindTODAY: Five standouts from UCLA's springWEDNESDAY: Five things we learnedTHURSDAY: Five questions going forward

5. Caleb Benenoch

Just one look could've told you that Caleb Benenoch transformed himself over the past three months. He cut down to a much more scuplted 315 pounds, with stretch marks on his shoulders an indication of how quickly his body had changed. Without the extra weight, he moved quicker on his feet. He was less fatigued. The coaches moved him to left tackle, and he dove headfirst into the fire, looking strong from start to finish during UCLA's 15 spring practices. A less-than-stellar spring game against defensive end Owa Odighizuwa would mean little in comparison to the body of work that Benenoch put in during the month of April. The loss of Torian White certainly doesn't seem like it'll hurt UCLA in the slightest for fall.

4. Thomas Duarte

The sophomore Y receiver gave the impression toward the end of last season that somethign special was in store, and almost immediately, he stepped into a top receiver role. Duarte has arguably the best hands on the team and is athletic enough to make tough catches in tight windows. Running a weapon like that up the seam of the defense could offer the versatile options that UCLA's offense desperately needed in the middle of the field last season. Hundley has already noted that Duarte is becoming one of his favorite targets, and I'm very much on the Thomas Duarte bandwagon, too. I wouldn't doubt if he was UCLA's leading receiver in the fall.

3. Owa Odighizuwa

Odighizuwa was always in UCLA's plans, a fifth-year senior who was once a five-star talent, and an ideal leader for a young, burgeoning defensive line. But this spring, Odighizuwa proved he won't be just a figurehead veteran next season. In fact, he could be the defensive line's most valuable asset. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has made it clear that he wants to be innovative in how he uses his defenive players, and he proved that specifically with Odighizuwa during the tail end of UCLA's spring practice. Ulbrich had him rush out of several stances and also drop back into coverage -- the sheer versatility of which allowed Odigizhuwa to get more constant pressure in the backfield. I counted at least four sacks in the spring game for the fifth-year senior. After sitting out a year due to surgery on both of his hips, it's clear that UCLA made the right choice in sitting him down for a year to heal. Now, he looks primed for a breakout year.

2. Mossi Johnson

I'd be hard-pressed to estimate for you how much Mossi Johnson might actually play in the fall. His spot so high on this list isn't necessarily indicative that the freshman Y receiver will become UCLA's No. 1 wide receiver and a freshman All-American. Rather, Johnson's impressive spring was all the more impressive because no one at all expected it to happen. When we first spoke with Johnson back in February at UCLA's Signing Day press conference, even he thought he'd be playing defensive back. Now, as an inside receiver, Johnson was by far the most impressive freshman in camp, making tough catches across the middle and even successfully blocking downfield. Johnson won't be supplanting Duarte any time soon, but he will get a chance to catch some balls in the fall. That much seems certain after a spring to remember for the one-time grayshirt prospect.

1. Fabian Moreau

Jim Mora may have gotten a bit swept away when he said that Fabian Moreau was a future first-round pick, an All-American, and all that jazz. Or maybe Mora, a former defensive backs coach, is onto something. He's certainly picked a worthy player to hyperbolize about, after Moreau proved this spring that he's definitely on path to becoming a very impressive Pac-12 cornerback. He blanketed receivers, dominated in press coverage, and flashed the ball skills you'd expect out of a player who began his college career on offense. To think that Moreau has played the position for less than 18 months is pretty astonishing. He's already the best player on an ever-improving secondary that may have vaulted itself near the top of the Pac-12. In a league that's increasingly reliant on the pass, Moreau could very well be UCLA's most valuable defensive player.

HONORABLE MENTION

Tahaan Goodman. He was quieter toward the end of spring, but is already the hardest hitter in the defensive backfield. He'll be the fifth defensive back in UCLA's rotation, which is essentially a starting spot, given how much nickel the Bruins will play.

Myles Jack. Obvious name here, but Jack looks even better than he did last fall. His pursuit is better, and with more of his time spent in the middle of the defense, his run stopping skills have also improved. How UCLA uses him -- on defense, as well as offense -- will be of the utmost interest in the fall.

Craig Lee. There's an explosiveness in Lee that's nowhere else to be found on UCLA's offense. He has the looks of a potential home run threat. That being said, there's still some polish to be done here before Lee takes any carries away from those higher up on the depth chart.

Devin Lucien. He's still got the eye-popping ball skills that had people calling for breakout seasons in years past, but now, it seems like Lucien understands the big picture, as well. He's the best bet to be UCLA's top receiver.

Kenny Clark. The young nose tackle finished the season in dominant fashion in January and could be an All-Pac-12 player as soon as this year, if he can continue to develop. Center Jake Brendel said this spring that Clark is already the best defensive tackle he's ever faced. And Brendel has seen some good ones.

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